Sawyer Smith and Alex Chang saw their 1830s farmhouse in New York State as an opportunity to step back in time.

Living History, Refined

Living History, Refined

For seven years, Sawyer Smith and Alex Chang lugged a space-hogging 1932 Magic Chef stove to not one, or two, but four New York City apartments. "We even turned it into a TV stand," recalls Smith, who purchased the relic based on his dream that one day they'd own a country house, where the nearly 600-pound stove would look perfect. In the end, their behemoth found its rightful throne: an 1830s farmhouse in Warnerville, New York. "I guess you could say I bought this house for the stove," Smith jokes.

In this photo: The couple snapped up the 1932 Magic Chef—with six burners and two ovens—at Moon River Chattel in Brooklyn on a quixotic whim.

Dining Area

Dining Area

Initially, Chang wasn't sold on the idea of a rural retreat, so he challenged the house-hunting Smith with "a list of strict criteria," Smith explains. "Alex wanted a place with a long, curvy driveway, high on a hill, totally hidden from the road." Smith scoured real estate listings and bookended his fly-fishing trips in the Catskills with open houses—racking up 40 or 50 tours until he discovered this four-bedroom on 75 acres that fit the bill.

In this photo: The kitchen's oak table and mismatched chairs are flea-market finds; the turn-of-the-century high chair (used by the couple's 18-month-old son, Charlton) is a hand-me-down from a friend.